The Sound of Your Cry

Rating:

Words & Music: Giant/ Baum/ Kaye

The clock by the bed is ticking too loud in the quiet nightI lie in the darkness thinking I must go before it's lightBefore you open up your eyes and you beg me to stayI'll leave 'cause I can't stand to see you hurt this waySleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won't hear the sound of your cry

Though I knew the time was coming and our love would end somehowI just couldn't bear to tell you exactly just when or howI know we can't go on, that it was wrong to startBut if you wake up crying now, you know you'll break my heartSleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won't hear the sound of your cry

Sleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won't hear the sound of your cry

Some a whining about that the early takes, such as take 3, is over the top.. But listen to the violins eventually on the master. I think Elvis blowed another tv after listening to the final production...

Yes take 3 is slightly better than the released master. Contemporary feel for the times which for me started with Kentucky Rain, and a taste I gradually acquired. I also like overblown endings and grandstand finishes so this does for me, a nice production all round.

I always loved this song. The outake on the boxset "Platinum" is even better ! The emotion, and the power, in his voice, is amazing ! "The sound of your cry" was the "B" side to the song /single "It's Only Love" and both sides should have been huge on radio, but, it wasn't to be, when it was released in 1971.

I'm leaving was to me a far better choice, much more innovative from that period. Like It's Midnight, among others, the soft part of the begining touches me deeply but the end part is too loud and breaks the charm. Elvis liked to test his voice and in the 70's he really pushed it to the limit wich was great in certain case like Birdge Over Troubled Water, Hurt, Unchained Melody, Tomorrow Never Comes (almost), My Boy... . Power song as I called them. The more it went it's like if he wanted to blow it. I prefer Loving Arms with the sublime peak in the middle and the end quiet and low.

Great track, especially take 3, which really shows the range that Elvis had. His phrasing on the first two verses is astounding. Not so keen on the single, but love the outtakes on this one. Gets 4 stars for take 3!

One of my all time favourites. It's such a beautiful melody. The mastertake, that came out as single is superb. I'm not so keen on some outtakes of this song where Elvis is going way over the top. He should have sung it in a lower key (1/2 tone lower), it would have been easier for his voice. Nevertheless the single is fantastic.

What a GREAT song! I'd love to hear a live version, but I assume one does not exist, which is a shame. I have heard the criticism that this is "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" rewritten and also that it really needs another verse instead of quite so many "sleeeeeeep, my loooove"s at the end. And yeah, the song's "plot" is the same as "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and yeah, another verse would have been great. But regardless, this song--as is--is fantastic and deserves to have been heard by more people. Elvis' voice is perfection in this. He nails the big towering parts as well as the intimate opening lines. And the percussion is great as well, mimicking the ticking clock mentioned in line 1. I am sure some will consider this song too over-the-top for Elvis, like "My Boy" or "Sylvia" or "Padre", and while it is certainly in the same vein as those tracks, I love them all and this one especially. I love good ol' rock and roll as much as anybody, but Elvis' voice deserved songs like this sometimes, where he could really knock it out of the park! ("Impossible Dream". "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "My Way" and "Hurt" also fit this mold. Also "Surrender", "Now or Never" and "Heart of Rome". Great songs one and all!)

The most under appreciated Elvis song from the great June of 1970 recording sessions and perhaps his career. This song was released/buried on the flipside of "It's Only Love" in '71 and was not released on a LP until the 1981 LP "Elvis' Greatest Hits" (The "Elvis Aron Presley" eight record set in 1980 that included lost singles even missed it!). Elvis sings this one masterfully and it is much better than "Rags To Riches" and "Where Did They Go, Lord" (another single release in '71). This song deserved a spot on the album "Love Letters From Elvis" or "Elvis Now". It would have been a highlight on either LP.